Kljestan scores first UCL group stage goal in Anderlecht defeat

Anderlecht midfielder Sacha Kljestan gave his club a nice moment in what was a miserable performance on Tuesday against Olympiakos and a miserable campaign in the UEFA Champions League.

In the 39th minute, former D.C. United midfielder Andy Najar lead a break down the left wing, seeing two teammates to his right. With a curled pass with the outside of Najar’s boot, the ball evaded two defenders and fell at the foot of Anderlecht midfielder Guillaume Gillet in front of goal. Unselfishly, instead of shooting, Gillet passed to Kljestan on his right, who finished easily into an open net.

It’s the first goal for the U.S. Men’s National team midfielder in the Champions League group stage, though Kljestan has scored in the qualifying rounds for Anderlecht in the past. Kljestan now has eight goals on the season in all competitions.

Unfortunately for the Belgian club, Olympiakos took the lead again in the 58th minute through Javier Saviola, who scored the first goal in the match as well. Olympiakos finished the match with a 3-1 victory over an Anderlecht side that finished with eight men on the pitch, after three players were sent off.

21 Responses to Kljestan scores first UCL group stage goal in Anderlecht defeat

Anderlecht had nothing to loose and kept pushing and then Olympiakos would get on a break and Anderlecht would just foul them. Anderlecht is just a very young team, they even brought on a 16 year old at one point.

Funny from Crouch. Reminds me of an interview I saw once with Ben Olsen. He had been bought by an English team after some good years in MLS and on the national team and then had a devastating knee injury before playing a game and never played over there. He was asked how his life might be if he hadn’t had that injury. He said, “Well, I’d be driving a better car.”

If we blindly just took 23 players based solely on how they were performing with their club, almost certainly. However, they have to also fit in well with the system their national team runs (which may be vastly different than their club’s), be a good fit chemistry-wise, and actually be 1 of the 2 best at his position in actual performing for country. Just as some are great for club, but not country, some are the reverse. In short, if Sasha can show over the next few months that he can contribute for the USMNT as he’s done for Anderlecht, then yes, but it’s not a given.

My guess is that he is on the dreaded bubble.He has the misfortune of playing a position that is one of the deepest in the player pool. Some pretty good midfielders for the US will be watching the World Cup from the stands or on TV.

The implication from the article and the posts is that Anderlecht lost all 3 players in one half. I can’t think of another time I have ever heard of a team losing 3 players to red in one game, much less in one half.